Green intelligent fertilizers—A novel approach for aligning sustainable agriculture with green development

Highlights

● The pursuit of green development faces challenges of environmental impacts and low resource-use efficiency in fertilizer production.

● Green intelligent fertilizers can be designed to harness the synergy among plants, soils, microorganisms, nutrient sources and the environment.

● New strategies are proposed to align with the principles of green development in both industry and agriculture.

● Green intelligent fertilizers highlight a path toward harmonizing fertilizer production with the imperatives of green agriculture.

Abstract

This review addresses the growing disparity between the current state of fertilizer production in China and the evolving demands of green agriculture in the 21st century. It explores major advances in fertilizers, proposes the concept of green intelligent fertilizers and develops new strategies aligned with the principles of green development in fertilizer industry and agriculture. Green intelligent fertilizers may be designed to maximize the synergistic effects among plants, soils, microorganisms, nutrient sources and the environment. This concept emphasizes the integration of industry and agriculture toward green development for entire industry chain, using an interdisciplinary approach to drive the green transformation of fertilizer industry, and promote green and sustainable development of agriculture. By bridging the gap between the current state of fertilizer industry and a growing need for environmentally responsible agricultural practices, this review highlights a path toward harmonizing fertilizer production with the imperatives of green agriculture.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Root-nutrient feedback / green development / intelligent fertilizers / new fertilizer / plant−soil−fertilizer interaction / rhizosphere engineering

References

[1] Erisman J W, Sutton M A, Galloway J, Klimont Z, Winiwarter W . How a century of ammonia synthesis changed the world. Nature Geoscience, 2008, 1(10): 636–639

[2] International Fertilizer Association (IFA). International Fertilizer Association Statistic Database. Paris: IFA, 2019. Available at IFA website on October 20, 2023

[3] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). FAOSTAT Data. Rome: FAO, 2019. Available at FAO website on October 20, 2023

[4] Karthik A, Maheswari M U . Smart fertilizer strategy for better crop production. Agricultural Reviews, 2021, 42(1): 12–21

[5] Subramanian K S, Manikandan A, Thirunavukkarasu M, Rahale C S. Nano-fertilizers for balanced crop nutrition. In: Rai M, Ribeiro C, Mattoso L, Duran N, eds. Nanotechnologies in Food and Agriculture. Springer, 2015, 69–80

[6] Duhan J S, Kumar R, Kumar N, Kaur P, Nehra K, Duhan S . Nanotechnology: the new perspective in precision agriculture. Biotechnology Reports, 2017, 15: 11–23

[7] Velásquez G, Ngo P T, Rumpel C, Calabi-Floody M, Redel Y, Turner B L, Condron L M, Mora M L . Chemical nature of residual phosphorus in Andisols. Geoderma, 2016, 271: 27–31

[8] Guo H, White J C, Wang Z, Xing B . Nano-enabled fertilizers to control the release and use efficiency of nutrients. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, 2018, 6: 77–83

[9] Kah M, Kookana R S, Gogos A, Bucheli T D . A critical evaluation of nanopesticides and nanofertilizers against their conventional analogues. Nature Nanotechnology, 2018, 13(8): 677–684

[10] Glotra A, Singh M . , Maneesha. Nanofertilizers: a review on the futuristic technology of nutrient management in agriculture. Agricultural Reviews, 2023, 44(2): 238–244

[11] Zhang W F, Yi J J, Zhang F S. Annual Report of China Fertilizer Development Research 2016. Beijing: China Agricultural University Press, 2017 (in Chinese)

[12] Feng S S. Current situation analysis and development prospect of new fertilizer industry. Phosphate & Compound Fertilizer, 2022, 37(7): 9−11 (in Chinese)

[13] Lu H, Tian H, Zhang M, Liu Z, Chen Q, Guan R, Wang H . Water Polishing improved controlled-release characteristics and fertilizer efficiency of castor oil-based polyurethane coated diammonium phosphate. Scientific Reports, 2020, 10(1): 5763

[14] Xie J, Yang Y, Gao B, Wan Y, Li Y C, Xu J, Zhao Q . Biomimetic superhydrophobic biobased polyurethane-coated fertilizer with atmosphere “outerwear”. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2017, 9(18): 15868–15879

[15] Tian H, Liu Z, Zhang M, Guo Y, Zheng L, Li Y C . Bio-based polyurethane, epoxy resin and polyolefin wax composite coating for controlled-release fertilizer. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2019, 11(5): 5380–5392

[16] El-Saadony M T, ALmoshadak A S, Shafi M E, Albaqami N M, Saad A M, El-Tahan A M, Desoky E M, Elnahal A S M, Almakas A, Abd El-Mageed T A, Taha A E, Elrys A S, Helmy A M . Vital roles of sustainable nano-fertilizers in improving plant quality and quantity-an updated review. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2021, 28(12): 7349–7359

[17] Al-juthery H W A, Lahmoud N R, Alhasan A S, Al-jassani N A A, Houria A. Nano-fertilizers as a novel technique for maximum yield in wheat biofortification. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2022, 1060

[18] Li T, Lü S, Wang Z, Huang M, Yan J, Liu M . Lignin-based nanoparticles for recovery and separation of phosphate and reused as renewable magnetic fertilizers. Science of the Total Environment, 2021, 765: 142745

[19] Alori E T, Glick B R, Babalola O O . Microbial phosphorus solubilization and its potential for use in sustainable agriculture. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2017, 8: 971

[20] Zhu Q, de Vries W, Liu X, Hao T, Zeng M, Shen J, Zhang F . Enhanced acidification in Chinese croplands as derived from element budgets in the period 1980–2010. Science of the Total Environment, 2018, 618: 1497–1505

[21] Zhang H, Liu Y, Wang G . Integrated use of maize bran residue for one-step phosphate bio-fertilizer production. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2019, 187(4): 1475–1487

[22] Raimondi G, Maucieri C, Toffanin A, Renella G, Borinet M . Smart fertilizers: What should we mean and where should we go?. Italian Journal of Agronomy, 2021, 16(2): 1794

[23] Lam S K, Wille U, Hu H W, Caruso F, Mumford K, Liang X, Pan B, Malcolm B, Roessner U, Suter H, Stevens G, Walker C, Tang C, He J Z, Chen D . Next-generation enhanced-efficiency fertilizers for sustained food security. Nature Food, 2022, 3(8): 575–580

[24] Zhang F S, Shen J B, Wei C Z, Ma W Q, Zhang W F, Huang C D, Lv Y, Zhang L, Lu Z Y, Ying H, Cheng L Y, Jiang R F, Qu L B, Hou C H, Wang X L, Xiu X F, Ma H. Green intelligent fertilizer: from interdisciplinary innovation to industrialization realization. Acta Pedologica Sinica, 2022, 59(4): 873−887 (in Chinese)

[25] Wen Z, White P J, Shen J, Lambers H . Linking root exudation to belowground economic traits for resource acquisition. New Phytologist, 2022, 233(4): 1620–1635

[26] Zhang L, Feng G, Declerck S . Signal beyond nutrient, fructose, exuded by an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus triggers phytate mineralization by a phosphate solubilizing bacterium. ISME Journal, 2018, 12(10): 2339–2351

[27] Shen J B, Bai Y, Wei Z, Chu C C, Yuan L X, Zhang L, Cui Z L, Cong W F, Zhang F S. Rhizobiont: an interdisciplinary innovation and perspective for harmonizing resources, environment, and food security. Acta Pedologica Sinica, 2021, 58(4): 805−813 (in Chinese)

[28] Remans T, Nacry P, Pervent M, Filleur S, Diatloff E, Mounier E, Tillard P, Forde B G, Gojon A . The Arabidopsis NRT1.1 transporter participates in the signaling pathway triggering root colonization of nitrate-rich patches. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2006, 103(50): 19206–19211

[29] Lima J E, Kojima S, Takahashi H, von Wirén N . Ammonium triggers lateral root branching in Arabidopsis in an AMMONIUM TRANSPORTER1;3-dependent manner. Plant Cell, 2010, 22(11): 3621–3633

[30] Yan Y, Zhang Z, Sun H, Liu X, Xie J, Qiu Y, Chai T, Chu C, Hu B . Nitrate confers rice adaptation to high ammonium by suppressing its uptake but promoting its assimilation. Molecular Plant, 2023, 16(12): 1871–1874

[31] Ma Q H, Wang X, Li H B, Li H G, Cheng L Y, Zhang F S, Rengel Z, Shen J B . Localized application of NH₄⁺-N plus P enhances zinc and iron accumulation in maize via modifying root traits and rhizosphere processes. Field Crops Research, 2014, 164: 107–116

[32] Jing J Y, Gao W, Cheng L Y, Wang X, Duan F Y, Yuan L X, Rengel Z, Zhang F S, Li H G, Cahill J F Jr, Shen J B . Harnessing root-foraging capacity to improve nutrient-use efficiency for sustainable maize production. Field Crops Research, 2022, 279: 108462

[33] Chiou T J, Lin S I . Signaling network in sensing phosphate availability in plants. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 2011, 62(1): 185–206

[34] López-Arredondo D L, Leyva-González M A, González-Morales S I, López-Bucio J, Herrera-Estrella L . Phosphate nutrition: improving low-phosphate tolerance in crops. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 2014, 65(1): 95–123

[35] Wang X, Li H G, Cheng L Y, Wang B L, Shen J B. Advances of root-soil interface effect of phosphorus and water interaction and mechanisms of their efficient use. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizers, 2017, 23(4): 1054−1064 (in Chinese)

[36] Wang Y, Zhang M M, Lyu Y, Hou C H, Wei C Z, Ma W Q, Zhang F S, Shen J B. pH-responsive materials and their applications in intelligent fertilizer. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress, 2023 (in Chinese)

[37] Wang X, Whalley W R, Miller A J, White P J, Zhang F, Shen J . Sustainable cropping requires adaptation to a heterogeneous rhizosphere. Trends in Plant Science, 2020, 25(12): 1194–1202

[38] Zhang F S, Huang C D, Shen J B, Wei C Z, Ma W Q, Lyu Y, Lu Z Y, Zhu Q C, Shi X J, Hou C H, Ma H. Green intelligent fertilizer: new insight into making full use of mineral nutrient resources and industrial approach. Acta Pedologica Sinica, 2023, 60(5): 1203−1212 (in Chinese)

[39] Niu J H, Liu C, Huang M L, Liu K Z, Yan D Y . Effects of foliar fertilization: a review of current status and future perspectives. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 2021, 21(1): 104–118

[40] Xu D J, Wan J L, Xu D H, Luo T, Zhong Y J, Yang X, Yang L, Zhang Z, Wang X L . Chelation of metal ions with citric acid in the ammoniation process of wet-process phosphoric acid. Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2019, 98(5): 665–675

[41] Hue N V . Iron and phosphorus fertilizations and the development of proteoid roots in macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia). Plant and Soil, 2009, 318(1–2): 93–100

[42] Shen J, Yuan L, Zhang J, Li H, Bai Z, Chen X, Zhang W, Zhang F . Phosphorus dynamics: from soil to plant. Plant Physiology, 2011, 156(3): 997–1005

[43] Zhao X, Lyu Y, Dong Q, He X, Yue H, Yang L, Tao L, Gong L, Zheng H, Wen S, Lambers H, Shen J . Biomass partitioning and ionomics of Macadamia with high manganese and low phosphorus concentrations. Functional Plant Biology, 2023, 50(7): 559–570

[44] Zhao X, Lyu Y, Jin K, Lambers H, Shen J. Leaf phosphorus concentration regulates the development of cluster roots and exudation of carboxylates in Macadamia integrifolia. Frontiers in Plant Science, 2021, 11: 610591

[45] Zhao X, Dong Q Q, Ni S B, He X Y, Yue H, Tao L, Nie Y L, Tang C X, Zhang F S, Shen J B . Rhizosphere processes and nutrient management for improving nutrient-use efficiency in macadamia production. HortScience, 2019, 54(4): 603–608

Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFD1901502, 2023YFD1700203), the Yun-Tian-Hua Project “Development and Application of Green Intelligent Compound Fertilizer for Macadamia Nuts (YTH-4320-WB-FW-2021-031303-00)”, the Project of Beijing’s Top-Precision-Advanced Disciplines, the CSC-AGD PhD Program from China Scholarship Council, the Yunnan Science and Technology Department project “Yunnan Modern Agricultural Green Technology Innovation Platform (202102AE090053)”, and the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University.

Compliance with ethics guidelines

Maoying Wang, Lingyun Cheng, Chengdong Huang, Yang Lyu, Lin Zhang, Zhenya Lu, Changzhou Wei, Wenqi Ma, Zed Rengel, Jianbo Shen, and Fusuo Zhang declare that they have no conflicts of interest or financial conflicts to disclose. This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s) 2024. Published by Higher Education Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)